Thai PM Srettha removed from office for alleged violation over Cabinet appointment

Thai PM Srettha & his Cabinet removed from office by Charter Court decision

On Wednesday (14 Aug), the Constitutional Court of Thailand removed Thai PM Srettha Thavisin and his Cabinet from office.

The basis for the 5-4 ruling is over the Thai PM’s appointment of Pichit Chuenban as the Prime Minister’s Office Minister despite his charges of bribing court officials.

Court says PM did not meet ethical standards

Srettha Thavisin was removed less than a year after he gained the premiership.

Additionally, this is also the third time the constitutional court has removed a Thai PM, according to iLawClub.

In May, 40 senators, appointed by the previous military government, submitted a petition to the court to review PM Srettha’s ethical standards, according to Nikkei. The petition questioned the premier’s ethics over his appointment of Pichit Chuenban as the Prime Minister’s Office Minister.

The former lawyer had been put in prison for contempt of court over an alleged attempt to bribe court staff, according to ThaiPBS.

Decision plunges Thailand into political uncertainty

The decision also comes following the same court’s decision to dissolve the Move Forward Party, the wildly popular opposition party. The Constitutional Court dissolved the party for its campaign to reform the country’s lese majeste laws.

However, it has since reformed under a new name, the People’s Party.

The two rulings mean that Thai politicians are now scrambling to fight for votes to fill the vacuum of the premiership. A date for this election is undetermined.

Also read: Thailand set to criminalise weed again after 2 years, medical usage still allowed

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